Posted by buffy on 06/15/2006 2:37 pm

i knew i’d have a lot of firsts over the last few days – my first time in st. kitts; my first time working with this fantastic team of fellow greenpeacers, all of them from different countries, with something like 60-70 years of experience in the whales campaign between them (i just started at greenpeace in the u.s. a bit over a year ago); and, i thought, i’d also get to be working on a greenpeace ship for the first time.  i was VERY excited about this. i've never even SEEN a greenpeace ship in 3-d – just pictures & videos – and, of course, heard the stories.  i was crestfallen to find out that, for unknown and unspecified reasons, the government of st. kitts had refused our application to come into port here.  even worse, not only were we not allowed to dock, the arctic sunrise wasn’t even allowed to enter st. kitts waters.  so much for transparency & freedom of speech … and so much for my much anticipated first stint as an onboard campaigner.

of course, this won’t stop our work here.  we’re here on the ground (versus the water!) and we’re not so easily discouraged or dissuaded.  we know the truth – that you out there are counting on us to represent you and let the folks here know that the global community is against whaling, as well as against these transparent efforts to stymie transparency!  

ok, sorry. it’s also my first blog.  i got a little carried away, and fear it reads as a bit preachy.  BUT this is definitely the kind of stuff that gets me going – i imagine it may be a bit naïve, but i still find shenanigans at an institutional/governmental level to be … well, incredibly disappointing, if not shocking.  not that i’m not fundamentally disappointed at dishonesty and manipulation at a personal level, but i still believe that those entrusted to govern have a higher responsibility – to their citizens, as well as to citizens of the world.  

speaking of what we expect from our governments, i’m off to a meeting with the u.s. delegation.  sorry for bloggus interruptus, but i wanted to send my first shout out blog-style before it got much later here …

stay tuned – i predict sightings of origami whales on the horizon …

‘til the next,
b